India, April 5 -- Thousands of layoffs at Oracle have sparked fresh concerns for H-1B visa holders in the United States.

In a notification submitted under the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act, Oracle announced late on Tuesday that it will fire 491 workers who work remotely in Washington state and at its Seattle operations as of June 1.

The scale of the cuts could run into the tens of thousands globally, intensifying anxiety among foreign workers whose residency in the US is tied directly to their employment.

As per the USCIS guidelines, the crucial factor for H-1B workers caught in such layoffs is timing. After a layoff, they have up to a 60-day grace period, or until the end of their authorized validity period,...